One area of hospital care requiring substantial hours of skilled nursing time is encountered in nursing of severely injured or ill patients requiring tracehotomy or endotracheal tubes. Adjustment or replacement of the retention means around the neck of the patient is frequently required at approximately eight-hour intervals. The most common methods used for retaining tracehotomy or endotracheal tube bases in position is by utilization of adhesive tape or the tying of umbilical tape to the tube base and around the patient's neck. This care must be accomplished in a sterile environment and extreme caution exercised to avoid unintentional displacement of means utilized for ventilating the patient.